Musings from Brian J. Noggle: Good Book Hunting: April 19, 2008

Good Book Hunting: April 19, 2008

After yesterday's book fairs, today we stuck to yard sales around Old Trees. It was a grey, rainy day, so many of the yard sales in the paper were rolled up before we arrived. Others had wet stock, which sucks for books. However, one in the area had an indoor room with books going at 2 bags for $1. It was an enclosed porch, not laid out for good book browsing, and one fat guy spent twenty minutes in the middle of the spread blocking everyone else's access while he filled two dry cleaner sized bags so he could get just the books he wanted for only $1. One other fellow had his bag break while he waited, so he stomped out in disgust.

We waited patiently, though, even dissuading the toddler from taking a piece of trim with exposed nails to the prominent, semi-bared backside of the fat man. We managed patience, though, for a handful of books we stuffed into a bag. They charged us a whole dollar for it, too, but we just wanted to get out of the sale without inflicting casualties.

Sometimes, an experience like that sets a poor tone for the day, and this seemed to prove true today. Not a lot of fun to be had, but some books to acquire. These:

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Three Nights in August, a recent book about the St. Louis Cardinals. Did I mention I'm watching baseball this year?
Inventing for Fun and Profit. Hey, I have a couple ideas I might want to patent one of these days. Why not get inspired?
The Mousetrap and Other Plays by Agatha Christie.
The Long Goodbye by Raymond Chandler. Sure, I already have it, but I'm programmed to buy Chandlers that I find in the wild. Plus, I haven't read it for maybe almost a decade now. I should read it again.
A collection of mysteries. I bought it because it was a Walter J. Black edition. I'm pathetic.
Modern Electronics. Given the typeface, perhaps I can use it to learn about TRS 80s and calculators powered by nine volt batteries.
Making Decisions Ethically. I've tried everything else. Maybe this methodology will lead to wealth and fame.
Mysteries of Mankind; since it's a National Geographic book, maybe it will be a more serious idea book than a Reader's Digest book with a similar name.
Cabinetmaking, an honest-to-goodness textbook about making cabinets. Because I was thinking of making one for my bathroom. I'll probably only put in shelves, but in case I get really serious, I have this.

Additionally, I bought a Dwight Yoakum CD and an Andrews Sisters audiocassette. The boy and the wife got a couple things, too, but I retain my title of champion accumulator.

Total books acquired: 9. Total spent: Under $10.

- posted by Brian J. @ 3:18 PM